Method of and machine for packaging



l.. L.. sALFlsBERG 2,420,983

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING May 20, 1947.

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May l2, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

18g/ROY L. Smflsise,

May 20, 1947 l.. L.. sALFlsBERG 2,420,983

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING Filed May l2, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENToR. LEROY L. SHLFSERG,

Arm/MH( May 20, 1947- L. SALFISBERG 2,420,933

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING Filed May 12, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3l IN VENTOR.

,f- LUQY LHLFISBERGL( ATTOHNEK Y May 20, 1947- L.. L. sALFlsBERG METHODOF AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING Filed May 12, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR. :LEROY L. SQLFISBERQ,

BY M

' A T TU/FIVEY May 20, 1947 L. L. sALFxsBERG 2,420,983

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING Filed May 12, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5LERg( L. SRLFISERG,

Patented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATES PAET Price METHOD OF AND MACHINE FORPACKAGING tion Gf Delaware Application May 12, 1945, Serial No. 593,429

Claims.

This invention relates in general to the art of packaging, particularlyth'e packaging of fluent materials, such as pastes, namely, cold creamsand suppositories, or liquids, namely, oils and hand lotions, or powder,and more specically the invention contemplates a package of the typewhich includes opposed layers of relatively thin packaging materialsealed together in certain zones which form the boundaries of acompartment or chamber between said layers to receive the material beingpackaged.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved meth'odof making a package which shall be of said general character but shallhave a compartment or chamber of irregular shape or of widely varyingcross-sectional area, at diierent points, for example of the shape of asuppository.

Another object is to provide a package of the general characterdescribed which shall include novel and improved features ofconstruction such that all air shall be excluded from said ch'amber orcompartment, the package shall be tightly sealed against leakage of thecontents and at the same time the Walls of the package may yield orexpand to compensate for pressure on the Walls of the chamber duringiilling of the chamber or during handling of the package or as theresult expansion of the packaged material under heat, so as to reducethe possibility of rupturing of the package walls or weakening of thesealed Zones.

Still another object is to provide such a package that shall includenovel and improved features of construction whereby the package can beeasily opened for removal of the packaged material.

Another object is to provide a machine for packaging fluent material andembodying novel and improved features of construction for forming a tubeof opposed strips of ductile material, depositing in the tube fluentmaterial to be packaged and transversely pressing together the walls ofthe tube at zones spaced longitudinally of the tube so as to form andbound compartments of predetermined shape and volume each' completelyfilled with the material being packaged, and sealing said stripstogether in areas surrounding said pressed zones.

A further object is to provide a machine of this character which shallinclude compensating means for pressing the layers of packaging materialto form the chamber for the material being packaged and to preventwrinkling at the edges of the formed chamber to reduce th'e possibilityof tearing of the package layers during formation of the chamber andduring handling of the package, as Well as under expansion of thepackaged material under heat.

Still another object is the provision of a practical machine for feedingstrips of ductile material, crimping the material and automaticallyattaching the strips together along the predetermined line or lines.

10 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe description thereof to follow taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is an elevational sectionalview of a machine embodying one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2-2of Figure 1, parts being broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View of the die rollers. y

Figure 4 is a detail View showing the development of the packages inchain formation in accordance with the invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of one form of package made inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6-6 ofFigure 5.

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 1-1 ofFigure 5.

Figure 8 is an enlarged plan View of another modied form of package madein accordance with the invention.

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken on the plane of the line 9-9 ofFigure 8.

Figure 10 is a sectional View taken on the plane of the line IU-l ofFigure 8.

Figure 1l is an enlarged plan view of still another modified form ofpackage made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure l2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a machine embodying amodied form of the invention.

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line l3|3 ofFigure 12.

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line I4-l 4 ofFigure 13.

Figure l5 is a detail View showing the development of packages in chainformation made in accordance with the form of the invention shown inFigure 12.

Figure 16 is an enlarged plan view of a package made in accordance withthe form of the invention shown in Figure l2.

Figure 17 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line I I--I 'Iof Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line IB--I8 ofFigure 16.

Referring to the particular form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and2 of the drawings, rolls I and 2 of ductile packaging material arerotatably supported on the frame 3 of the machine. The material ispreferably coated metal foil but it may be any other suitable packagingmaterial such as transparent thermoplastic coated Cellophane and thelike. The rolls I and 2 supply ribbons or webs 4 and 5, respectively, ofmaterial which are led upwardly over introductory idler pulleys orrollers E and respectively, disposed on opposite sides of inlet andoutlet pipes or tubes 8 and 9, respectively, which lead to a liquidreservoir (not shown).

After passing over the rollers 6 and 7, the ribbons 4 and 5 are fed uponopposite sides of the ends of the pipes B and 9 so as to pass betweenlongitudinal edge-sealing rollers Ill and I I. The roller I is mountedon a shaft I2 extending from the machine frame and roller I I is mountedon a bearing member I3 pivotally mounted on a shaft I4 supported on theframe, said bearing member having a downwardly projecting extension I5.The rollers I0 and II have peripheral crimping'portions or spaces I6adjacent opposite ends thereof as may be seen in Figure 2. As shown inFigure 1, these edge-sealing and crimping portions on both rollersmutually engage to forcibly interdigitate the edges of the ribbons 4 andas indicated at I'I. These crimping rollers are provided with internalelectrical heating elements for applying heat in suillcient quantitiesto fuse the thermoplastic coatings on the ribbons 4 and 5 and provide acomplete fluid seal. This sealing of the edges of the ribbons convertssaid ribbons into a tubular package structure surrounding the pipe 8 and9, the tubular structure being directed between further crimping,scoring, shaping and severing devices.

Means are provided for transversely sealing and scoring the tubularstructure at spaced intervals. Such means includes a pair of sealing andscoring rollers |8 and I9. Rollei' I8 is mounted on a shaft 20 extendingfrom the machine frame and roller I9 is mounted on a bearing member 2|pivotally mounted on a shaft 22 supported on the frame. Bearing member2| is provided with an integral extension 23 projecting upwardly.Rollers I8 and I9 have spaced peripheral crimping portions or spaces 24and 25 for mutual complementary mechanical engagement as the rollers arerotated in opposite directions. Interposed between said crimped surfaces24 and 25 are knives 26. The rollers are provided with internalelectrical heating elements for applying heat in sufficient quantitiesto fuse the coatings on the ribbons 4 and 5. When the crimped portionsare mutually engaged as shown in Figure 1, the tubular structure ispressed together and the opposed walls thereof are forciblyinterdigitated by virtue of the crimped deformations as indicated at 27and 28 in Figure 4, and at the same time the material is scoredtransversely by the knives as indicated at 29 and the thermoplasticmaterial on the walls of the tubular structure is fused so as to form acomplete iiuid tight transverse seal which, with the edge seals,provides a rectangular shaped package 30.

From the rollers I8 and I9, the webs advance between a pair of dies inthe form of rollers 3| and 32. Roller 3| is fastened to a shaft 33supported on the frame and roller 32 is supported by a bearing member 34which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 35 extending from the frame andwhich has an upwardly projecting extension 35. The rollers 3| and 32 areformed with a series of peripheral spaced transverse semi-circulargrooved portions 31 between their end walls 3B. Floatingly and rockinglymounted in the grooves 3l are semi-circular shaped die members 39, saiddie members being provided with stub shafts 40 at their ends adapted toslidingly nt in curved slots 4I formed in the faces of the end walls 38.The die members are formed with longitudinally disposed grooves 42 intheir nat-faced portions 39, said grooves being substantiallysemi-circular in cross section and having tapered walls. The flat-facedportions have crimping surfaces or spaces for mutual complementarymechanical engagement as the rollers are rotated. Upon rotation of therollers 3| and 32 in opposite directions, the die members 39 swing androck bodily in the grooves, the slot and shaft connections permittingthis movement, but upon coming into engagement with each other said diemembers automatically adjust themselves bodily so that the face portionsthereof meet and engage whereby the opposed walls of the tubularstructure are pressed together over the entire surface thereof exceptopposite the groove portions 42. At the same time, the material isgathered longitudinally and transversely of the webs above and below thegrooved portions as indicated at 43 to form central elongatedcompartments or chambers 44 into which the fluid is forced by thecompression of the walls. The transverse scoring permits the webs 4 and5 to be torn so as to insure adequate free material to form thecompartments and to compensate for said gathering of the material alongthe boundaries of the compartments, and thereby prevent rupturing of thematerial in the package walls.

The rollers Ill and II, IB and I9 and 3| and 32 may be provided withmea-ns for eiecting fine adjustments of their relative positions and forregulating the pressure of the rollers upon the material. As shown inFigure 1, a bracket member 45 is cast on the frame and is verticallydisposed between the bearing members I3 and 2! for the rollers II and I9so that it overlaps the extensions I5 and 23. At its upper end, thebracket is split and supports an adjusting screw bolt 41 adapted toengage the extension I5 for adjusting the roller II toward and from theroller I0, a cap screw 43 being provided to clamp the screw 4'! inadjusted position.

Roller I9 is adjustab'ly spring pressed toward the roller I8 by means ofa screw bolt 48 passing loosely through the extension 23 and engagingscrew threads on 4the bracket 45 and held in adjusted position by a capscrew 45a, and a spring 48a. interposed between the extension and thebracket.

Roller 32 is adjusted toward and from the roller 3| by a screw bolt 50supported by a bracket member 5| fastened to the frame and which bolt isadapted to engage the extension 36.

At the bottom of the line of travel of the tube structure, severingmechanism is provided for cutting off the formed packages in singleunits. This severing mechanism comprises a pair of rollers 52 and 53provided with spaced grooved portions 54 to receive the formedcompartment 44 and with radial slots 55 between said grooved portions.The radial slots 55 in roller 53 seat blades 56 enclosed in rubbersleeves 57 with their edges protruding slightly beyond the periphery ofthe roller. The rollers 52 and 53 are mounted on shafts 58 and 59,respectively, extending from the machine frame and upon rotation of therollers, the material, at the joints between the formed packages, alongthe scoring lines of the unseparated portions, is pressed by the rubbercovered blades into the slots 55 in roller 52 and stretched to thebreaking point, the severed package falling into a hopper or the likenot shown The rollers IIJ and ll, 52 and 53 are driven by a shaft ship.

Any suitable arrangement may be utilized for ejecting liquid or fluidinto the tubular packaging structure, for example, a forcing injectionpump system may be used for injecting a measured quantity of fluid intoand through the tube 8 at a predetermined time. Again Where the iiuidconstitutes a finely divided substance such as powder, the pipes 8 and 9can be connected with a powder containing chamber having a measuringcavity and a release closure therefor, the release closure beingoperated at timed intervals by a cam driven in timed relation with theother movable parts of the `mechanism so that each formed package islled with the powder prior to its closure.

In the operation of the system, the fluid from the reservoir is fedthrough and down pipe 8 into the tubular structure formed by the ribbons4 and 5 longitudinally sealed together along their edges by rollers Il)and Il. The iiuid fed into the tubular structure produces a standingcolumn of fluid of a level 'determined by the level of the fluid in thereservoir. The transverse sealing rollers I8 and I9 operate to actthrough the standing column of fluid and permanently heat seal togetherthe tubular structure in spaced areas to provide individual fluidcontaining package units joined together in chain package formation. Thedie rollers 3l and 32 press the walls of the material together undercold pressure and shape the chambers M by gathering the materiallongitudinally of the webs and simultaneously forcing the fluid intosaid chambers. When passing through the rollers 52 and 53, the blades 55sever the tubular structure at the transverse seals so as to divide thechain into individual fluid containing packages.

A special advantage of the invention is that the rollers, in sealing thepackage tubular structure acting through the standing column of liquid,make it possible to provide fluid package units without occluded air.That is, the package material is formed directly around the fluidwithout any possibility of undesirable air bubbles or the like, as suchair bubbles usually have a very deleterious effect upon the containedcommodity.

Another advantage of the invention is that only the interdigitatedportions l1, 21 and 28 are heat sealed, the remainder of the compressedarea of the package surrounding the chamber being cold pressed togetherthereby providing a safety expansion area whereby the layers of materialmay spread apart slightly permitting the fluid to eX- pand when thechamber is being filled or when pressure is exerted on said chamber inuse. cold pressed area also permits the material to be easily torn foropening the package. Furthermore this cold pressure feature also permitsthe chamber lll to be formed Without wrinkling or tearing of thepackaging material and allows the I8 and I9, 3l and 32 and mechanicallyintergeared and (not shown) in timed relation- The material to be freelygathered so as to produce chambers of unusual and irregular shapes.

The present invention also contemplates oifsetting the end edges of thewebs of material from each other so that a package such as shown inFigures 5 and '1 is obtained. In this package the margins are heatsealed and the edge Bl of the web 4 projects slightly beyond the edge 62of the web 5 at the left of the package as shown in Figure '1, Whereasthe edge 63 of the web 5 projects slightly beyond the edge 64 of the web4 at the right of the package. This permits the offset edges to begrasped by the fingers and the walls of the package readily separatedfor opening the package.

The modied form of package B5 shown in Figures 8 to 10, inclusive, mayalso be produced in accordance with the present invention. To producethis for-m of package, one of the webs, for instance, web 4, is widerthan the web 5 so that its edges 56 extend beyond the edges 51 of theweb 5 to facilitate grasping by the fingers. In this form, the packageis heat sealed at spaced spots around the chamber 44, as indicated at68, as well as at the edges.

In Figure 11 still another modified form of package 69 produced by thepresent invention is In this particular form, the material of thepackage may be notched as indicated at 10 along one of the short edgesof the package to initiate tearing of the package along a line passingthrough the cold pressed Zone, whereby the package may be readilyopened.

Still another modified form of package is shown in Figures 16 to 18,inclusive, in which the webs and 5 are cold pressed together between thechamber lill and the heat sealed margin 1| at one end thereof, asindicated at 12. Notches 13 are formed in opposite edges of the materialadjacent one end to facilitate initial tearing of the material foropening.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 12 to 14,inclusive, a machine of the reciprocating type is shown. Here theribbons or webs i and 5 pass over idler pulleys 6 and 1 and are feddownwardly through the machine by rotatable feed brushes 1d and 15driven by any suitable means. The ribbons are sufciently wide to pass onopposite sides of spaced pairs of pipes or tube 8 and 9 downwardlybetween and through crimping devices or blocks 15 and 11. Block 16 iscarried by a reciprocating casting or bearing member 18 and block 11 bya similar reciprocating bearing member 19. The blocks are provided attheir edges with vertically disposed crimping or corrugating projectingportions 8() and 8l and at their central portions with similar spacedcrimping or corrugating portions 82 and 83. These crimping portions areadapted to mutually engage to forcibly interdigitate the edges of theribbons as indicated at 84, and intei'digitate the centers as indicatedat 85 and 86. A vertically disposed movable perforating knife blade 81is carried by the block 16 between the central crimping portions 82 and83 and is spring pressed into engagement with a blade 81a in block 11 bymeans of plungers 88 and springs 89 mounted in the bearing member 18 forperforating the ribbons lengthwise. Nuts 9U adjust the tension of thesprings on the blade. Both of the vertical crimping devices are providedwith internal electrical heating elements 9i for heating the crimpingportions.

From the vertical crimpers the ribbons pass downwardly between andthrough devices for crimping the material horizontally and forregulating or controlling the commodity contained The horizontalcrimping devices comprise a pair of opposed blocks 92 and 93 carried bythe bearing members 18 and 19, respectively. Both blocks 92 and 93 areprovided with a plurality of pairs of horizontally disposed projectingcrimping or corrugating portions 94 and 95 with a space between theindividual crimping portions of each pair. Three pairs of such crimpingportions are shown. In the spaces between the individual portions of thepairs of crimping portions on block 92 are movable perforating knifeblades 96 and on block 93 in such spaces are fixed blades 91. Themovable blades are spring pressed into engagement with the fixed bladesby means of plungers 98 and springs 99 mounted in the bearing member 18for perforating the material horizontally. Nuts are provided to adjustthe tension of the springs on the blades. Internal electrical heatingelements mounted in both of the blocks 92 and 93 for heating thehorizontal crimping portions.

The regulating or controlling apparatus includes a bracket rail |02fastened to the frame and provided with perforated bearing members |04extends between and |06 and |01 to and |01 are nuts and ||3 slidablealong the bracket rail |02, having threaded connections with right handand left |l| respectively on the shaft |04 whereby upon turning of saidshaft by the knob |05, the nuts will move toward and away from eachother thereby moving the bearing sliders |06 and |07 respectively towardand respective sliders |06 and |01 and 93 move apart,

The faces of the blocks are also formed with a plurality Cil suchrecesses being shown in each block to correspond in number with thethree pairs of crimping portions of the horizontal crimpers. Thecrimping surfaces of these blocks are adapted to mutually engage toforcibly interdigitate the surfaces of the tubular structure asindicated at |20 and the recessed portions are adapted to coact to formchambers |2 each chamber being disposed centrally between the crimpededges of the structure as indicated in Fig. 15. The recesses may be ofany desirable shape. In forming the cham- |23 and |24 carried by thebearing members 1'8 and 19 at their bottom ends. Both blocks are formedwit |25 in their faces. Block structure between the chambers |2| intothe slots |26 and thereby stretch the material to the breaking pointwhereby the material is severed horizontally to form individualpackages.

Any suitable mechanism may be used for rerespective functions.

The operative face portions of the crimping or cal or horizontalcorr'ugations, or they may have pyramldal serrations or any othersuitable crimping surface. In some cases said operative face portion maybe smooth.

While I have described tain zones of the packages, many cases to heatseal ing material in said zones.

cold pressing cerit may be desirable in the layers of packag- The termductile material as used hereinbefore and in the appended claims, meansmaterial which can be bent or pressed into and will retain a desiredshape or contour and the term ductile does not exclude such resiliency,pliability or plasticity which is not inconsistent with the shapeholdingqualities of the material.

Changes in details of construction may be resorted to and parts may beused without others within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A machine of the character described cornprising means for feedingstrips of ductile material, opposed heated devices having projectingportions for heat sealing the strips along their edges, opposed heateddevices having projecting portions for heat sealing said stripstransversely at spaced intervals therealong and opposed die membershaving grooved portions for forming chambers in said strips between saidtransverse seals and having surfaces for cold pressing said stripsbetween said chambers and the heated sealed portions.

2. A machine of the character defined in claim 1 characterized by meansfor cutting the strips into single packages.

3. A machine of the character described comprising means for feedingstrips of ductile material, opposed heated rollers having projectingcrimping portions for heat sealing the strips along their edges, opposedheated rollers having projecting portions for heat sealing said stripstransversely at spaced intervals therealong and opposed rollers havinggrooved portions for forming chambers in said strips between saidtransverse seals and having surfaces for cold pressing said stripsbetween said chambers and the heated sealed portions.

4l. A machine of the character described in claim 3 characterized bymeans for cutting the strips into single packages.

5. A machine of the character described comprising means for feedingstrips of ductile material, opposed heated rollers having projectingportions for heat sealing the strips along their edges, opposed heatedrollers having projecting portions and having perforating blades forheat sealing said strips and for perforating said strips transversely atspaced intervals therealong, respectively, opposed rollers havinggrooved portions for forming chambers in said strips between saidtransverse seals and having surfaces for cold pressing said stripsbetween said chambers and the heated sealed portions.

6. A machine of the character described comprising means for feedingstrips of ductile material, opposed heated rollers having projectingportions for heat sealing the strips along their edges, means fortransversely sealing said strips, means for forming chambers in saidstrips including rollers carrying floatingly mounted semi-circular diemembers having grooved portions and face portions bordering said groovedportions adapted to engage the strips and simultaneously form chambersand coldpress the strips between said chambers and the heat sealedportions, and means for severing said strips transversely into singleunits.

7. A machine of the character described cornprising means for feedingopposed strips of ductile material, opposed rollers for crimping andheat sealing said strips along their edges for forming tubularstructure, opposed rollers for simultaneously crimping, heat sealing andperforating said tubular structure horizontally,

means for feeding iiuid into said tubular structure, opposed rollers forsimultaneously shaping said tubular structure into chambers and for coldpressing the material around said chambers, and opposed rollers havingcutting implements for severing the tubular structure horizontally.

8. A machine of the character described comprising means for feedingopposed strips of ductile material, opposed reciprocating blocks havingvertically disposed portions for heat sealing said strips along theiredges and centrally thereof for forming a plurality of spaced tubularstructures, means for severing said spaced tubular structureslongitudinally, means for feeding fluid into said tubular structures,means for heat sealing said tubular structures horizontally, means forforming chambers between said heat sealed portions and for cold pressingthe material therebetween, and means for severing said tubularstructures horizontally.

9. The process of forming a package consisting of the steps of feeding apair of opposed strips of ductile material, heat sealing the edges ofsaid strips to form a tubular structure, horizontally sealing saidtubular structure at spaced intervals therealong and simultaneouslyforming a central chamber between the sealed portions of said structureand pressing the strips between said chamber and said sealed portions.

10. The process of forming a package consisting of the steps of feedinga pair of opposed strips of ductile material, heat sealing the edges ofsaid strips to form a tubular structure, horizontally a sealing saidtubular structure at spaced intervals therealong, simultaneously forminga central chamber between the sealed portions of said structure and coldpressing the strips between said chamber and said sealed portions andsevering the tubular structure horizontally.

11. The process of forming a package consisting of the steps of feedinga pair of opposed strips of ductile material, heat sealing the edges ofsaid strips to form a tubular structure, simultaneously heat sealing andperforating said tubular structure horizontally, feeding fluid into saidtubular structure, simultaneously forming a chamber centrally of saidtubular structure and pressing the strips between said chamber and thesealed portions of the tubular structure, and severing the tubularstructure horizontally.

12. The method of forming a package for nuent material which comprisesfeeding and sealing opposed layers of ductile web packaging material toform a tubular structure, feeding a uent substance into said structure,externally applying pressure to the portion of said structure thatcontains said fluent substance and thereby pressing said layers intonon-adhering contact with each other in zones which form and bound acompartment between said layers which is lled with said fluentsubstance, and sealing said layers tightly together in zones in spacedand encircling relation to said compartment.

13. The method of forming a package for fluent material which comprisesfeeding and sealing opposed layers of ductile web packaging material toform a tubular structure, feeding a fluent substance into saidstructure, externally applying pressure to the portion of said structurethat contains said fluent substance and thereby pressing said layersinto non-adhering contact with each other in zones which form and bounda compartment between said layers which is filled with said fluentsubstance. and sealing said layers and to force said fluent substancethereinto.

15. A packaging machine comprising means for continuously feedingopposed strips of ductile material, means for sealing said stripstogether in longitudinal zones to form a tubular structure, means forfeeding iuent substance into said tubuto form packages fluent material,

each containing some of said means for forming weakened zones in saidstrips transversely through said transverse sealed zones betweenadjacent packages, and means for pressing said strips into nonadherentcontact said uent substance thereinto whereby said strips may yield atsaid weakened zones to compensate for the movement of said ductilematerial during formation of said chambers.

LEROY L. SALFISBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,782,526 Beardsley Nov. 25,1930I 2,304,591 Pape et al Dec. 8, 19422 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 150,762 Switzerland Nov. 15, 1931

